Tigers' Jhonny Peralta thrilled to be late addition to American League All-Star team

AP File PhotoPeralta is the first Tigers shortstop to make the team since Carlos Guillen made it in 2007.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Jhonny Peralta was looking forward to a few days off. He was excited about traveling to the Dominican Republic to spend time with family members during the All-Star break. But a late change in plans has him headed to Phoenix.

And that's just fine with him.

Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington named Peralta to the American League All-Star team late Friday night as a replacement for Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, who has been nursing a sore calf.

“It feels really good,” a smiling Peralta said after the game Friday night. “I feel happy to be an All-Star. I've been waiting for that. It's coming late, but I feel really happy.”

It will be the first All-Star Game for Peralta, who gives the Tigers five All-Stars for the first time since 2007. Alex Avila will start at catcher for the American League, while Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera and Jose Valverde are also on the AL squad.

Peralta is the first Tigers shortstop to make the team since Carlos Guillen made it in 2007.

When Tigers manager Jim Leyland first learned that Peralta had been named to the team, he sought out his shortstop to give him the news.

“When I first found out, I couldn't find him,” Leyland said. “I think he was down underneath and I couldn't find him.”

When Peralta got the news, he responded in a typical understated manner.

Peralta, who went 2-for-4 and made the defensive play of the game for the Tigers in a 6-4 victory, said he was simply taking some swings in the cage when Leyland came looking for him. Several others sought him out after he received the news.

“A lot of the guys said congratulations – every coach,” Peralta said. “My family called me from the Dominican to say congratulations. Excited that I am going to be here now. I'm happy that I'm going to the All-Star Game.”

Peralta said he planned to go home during the break but will instead do what he can to get some of his family members to Phoenix for the game.

“I had a plan to go to the Dominican with my family, but now I change everything,” he said. “Now I go to Arizona.”

Peralta is hitting .313 with 14 home runs and 50 RBIs this season, his first full season with the Tigers. His numbers are comparable with Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, who is having a great year and will start for the American League in place of Jeter.

“He's an All-Star player this year,” Leyland said of Peralta. “There's no question. He deserves to go. He should have been on it, but we understand how the thing goes. Nobody's complaining about that. I'm sure he's very tickled, very thrilled. And I'm thrilled for him.”

Peralta was asked how much things have changed for him in the past year. A year ago, he was still in Cleveland. The Tigers acquired him in a trade before the deadline for minor league pitcher Giovanni Soto, then re-signed him as a free agent in the offseason.

Now, Peralta's an All-Star.

“It's kind of different, huh?” Peralta said. “I played with Cleveland five or six years and never got to be an All-Star. I think the Detroit Tigers is a lucky team for me. I'm happy to be here and doing what I'm doing.”

And happy to be headed to the All-Star Game, even if it will cost him some time off with his family.

“It's good to have a break,” he said. “But I get to go play baseball, you know? I get to go to the All-Star Game and play baseball and then come back after the All-Star break.”